Tipaporn Limpaseni

Characterization of a thermostable levansucrase from Bacillus sp. TH4-2 capable of producing high molecular weight levan at high temperature

A thermoactive and thermostable levansucrase was purified from a newly isolated thermophilic Bacillus sp. from Thailand soil. The purification was achieved by alcohol precipitation, DEAE-Cellulose and gel filtration chromatographies. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity as determined by SDS-PAGE, and had a molecular mass of 56 kDa. This levansucrase has some interesting characteristics regarding its optimum temperature and heat stability. The optimum temperature and pH were 60 degrees C and 6.0, respectively. The enzyme was completely stable after treatment at 50 degrees C for more than 1 h, and its activity increased four folds in the presence of 5 mM Fe(2+). The optimum temperature for levan production was 50 degrees C. Contrary to other levansucrases, the one presented in this study is able to produce high molecular weight levan at 50 degrees C.

Purification and Characterization of Two Alkaline, Thermotolerant α-Amylases from Bacillus halodurans 38C-2-1 and Expression of the Cloned Gene in Escherichia coli

A newly isolated strain, 38C-2-1, produced alkaline and thermotolerant α-amylases and was identified as Bacillus halodurans. The enzymes were purified to homogeneity and named α-amylase I and II. These showed molecular masses of 105 and 75 kDa respectively and showed maximal activities at 50–60 °C and pH 10–11, and 42 and 38% relative activities at 30 °C. These results indicate that the enzymes are thermotolerant. The enzyme activity was not inhibited by a surfactant or a bleaching reagent used in detergents. A gene encoding α-amylase I was cloned and named amyI. Production of AmyI with a signal peptide repressed the growth of an Escherichia coli transformant. When enzyme production was induced by the addition of isopropyl β-D(−)-thiogalactopyranoside in the late exponential growth phase, the highest enzyme yield was observed. It was 45-fold that of the parent strain 38C-2-1.

Purification, characterization and molecular cloning of a novel endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase from the basidiomycete, Flammulina velutipes

Endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases are thought to be key enzymes in the catabolism of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides. However, little is known about the enzymes of this type in basidiomycetes. We investigated endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases in basidiomycetes using fluorescence-labeled glycoasparagines as substrates. Flammulina velutipes showed high activity and its enzyme was named endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase FV (Endo FV). The enzyme purified from the fruiting bodies of F. velutipes was separated into two forms. Endo FV was specific for high mannose and hybrid-type oligosaccharides. The enzyme was remarkably less active against asparagine-linked oligosaccharides attached to glycoproteins. It transferred an asparagine-linked oligosaccharide to Glc, but not to Gal. cDNA of Endo FV was cloned. It was composed of a 996-bp open reading frame encoding 331 amino acid residues. A recombinant Endo FV expressed in Escherichia coli showed enzymatic activity. The Endo FV gene in the genome of F. velutipes had no introns. The gene encoding Endo FV showed little homology with genes of known endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases. A chitinase active site motif existed in the deduced primary structure, indicating that Endo FV belongs to glycoside hydrolase family 18. The deduced amino acid sequence of Endo FV had regions conserved in class III chitinases from fungi though it showed little homology with the sequence of any other endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases. A folding model of Endo FV indicated it to be homologous with the tertiary structure of Endo H which is quite similar in specificity for asparagine-linked oligosaccharides. This study suggests that Endo FV may become similar to Endo H in substrate specificity as a result of evolutionary convergence.

Expression analysis of calmodulin and calmodulin-like genes from rice, Oryza sativa L.

BackgroundIn plants, a large family of calmodulin (CaM) and CaM-like (CML) proteins transduce the increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations by binding to and altering the activities of target proteins, and thereby affecting the physiological responses to a vast array of stimuli. Here, transcript expression analysis of Cam and CML gene family members in rice (Oryza sativa L.) was extensively examined.ResultsCam and CML genes in rice exhibited differential expression patterns in tissues/organs. Under osmotic stress and salt stress, expression of OsCam1-1, OsCML4, 5, 8, and 11 was induced with different kinetics and magnitude. OsCML4 and 8 mRNA levels significantly increased by 3 h after treatment and remained elevated for at least 24 h while expression of OsCam1-1, OsCML5 and 11 was up-regulated as early as 1–3 h before rapidly returning to normal levels. Several cis-acting elements in response to abiotic stresses, including DREs (important promoter elements responsive to drought, high salt, and cold stress), were detected in the 5′ upstream regions of these genes. The observed induction of the GUS activity of transgenic rice plants via the OsCam1-1 promoter appeared to be biphasic and dependent on the severity of salt stress.ConclusionsLarge OsCam and OsCML gene family members likely play differential roles as signal transducers in regulating various developmental processes and represent important nodes in the signal transduction and transcriptional regulation networks in abiotic stresss responses mediated by the complex Ca2+ signals in plants, which are rich in both spatial and temporal information.

Formation of Inclusion Complexes between Cyclodextrins and Carbaryl and Characterization of the Complexes

The solubility of carbaryl increased with increasing concentrations ofβ-CD, G2-β-CD, and M-β-CD. The result suggests theformation of soluble inclusion complex. Solubility increase was highestin M-β-CD-carbaryl, being 18.4 fold higher than that of carbaryl when 100 mM M-β-CD was used. The apparent formation constant for the complex calculated from phase solubility diagram was 223.18 M-1. The preparation of the complex in solid form for characterization was successful by kneading andfreeze-drying. The DSC curves for kneading and freeze-drying mixture didnot show the endothermic peak characteristic of carbaryl, but a small new endothermic peak was observed. FTIR analysis showed a shift of the major peak of carbonyl group in carbaryl molecule from 1717 to 1744 and 1734 cm-1 in kneading and freeze-dried mixtures, respectively. M-β-CD-carbaryl complex demonstrated higher dissolution rate, higher thermal and UV stability but lower toxicity than its parent carbaryl compound.

An expedient enzymatic route to isomeric 2-, 3- and 6-monodeoxy-monofluoro-maltose derivatives

2-Deoxy-2-fluoro-d-glucose, 3-deoxy-3-fluoro-D-glucose and 6-deoxy-6-fluoro-D-glucose were converted into the corresponding maltose derivatives using Arabidopsis thaliana DPE2-mediated trans-glycosylation reaction with glycogen acting as a glucosyl donor. (19)F NMR spectroscopy proved to be a valuable tool for monitoring the progress of these reactions and to assess the nature of resulting oligomeric products.

Structural Dissection of the Maltodextrin Disproportionation Cycle of the Arabidopsis Plastidial Disproportionating Enzyme 1 (DPE1).

Background: Arabidopsis maltodextrin disproportionating enzyme 1 (AtDPE1) plays a key role in chloroplast starch degradation. Results: Six AtDPE1 structures define the active site and reveal mechanistically relevant conformations of both the enzyme and substrate. Conclusion: Substrates are captured through loop rearrangements; the subtle deployment of active site residues controls catalysis. Significance: A molecular level understanding of the complete disproportionation cycle of AtDPE1 is presented. The degradation of transitory starch in the chloroplast to provide fuel for the plant during the night requires a suite of enzymes that generate a series of short chain linear glucans. However, glucans of less than four glucose units are no longer substrates for these enzymes, whereas export from the plastid is only possible in the form of either maltose or glucose. In order to make use of maltotriose, which would otherwise accumulate, disproportionating enzyme 1 (DPE1; a 4-α-glucanotransferase) converts two molecules of maltotriose to a molecule of maltopentaose, which can now be acted on by the degradative enzymes, and one molecule of glucose that can be exported. We have determined the structure of the Arabidopsis plastidial DPE1 (AtDPE1), and, through ligand soaking experiments, we have trapped the enzyme in a variety of conformational states. AtDPE1 forms a homodimer with a deep, long, and open-ended active site canyon contained within each subunit. The canyon is divided into donor and acceptor sites with the catalytic residues at their junction; a number of loops around the active site adopt different conformations dependent on the occupancy of these sites. The “gate” is the most dynamic loop and appears to play a role in substrate capture, in particular in the binding of the acceptor molecule. Subtle changes in the configuration of the active site residues may prevent undesirable reactions or abortive hydrolysis of the covalently bound enzyme-substrate intermediate. Together, these observations allow us to delineate the complete AtDPE1 disproportionation cycle in structural terms.

Characterization of sucrose uptake system in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz)

A leaf disc system was developed to study sucrose uptake in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz). The uptake of (U-(14)C) sucrose by cassava leaf discs followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics with a K(m) value for sucrose of 1.3 mM. It was found to be strongly inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents, N-ethylmaleimide, p-chloromercuribenzene sulfonate and iodoacetate. Several metabolic inhibitors were also tested. Among these, dinitrophenol, chlorocarbonyl cyanide phenylhydrazone, phloridzin and vanadate inhibited the sucrose uptake by the leaf discs. Linamarin, the main cassava cyanogenic glucoside, strongly inhibited the sucrose uptake by the leaf discs, while other cyanogenic glycosides tested (prunasin and amygdalin) showed a much weaker inhibition. A linamarin analog, isopropylthioglucoside, was a weaker inhibitor than p-nitrophenyl glucosides (both alpha and beta forms). Cassava root discs were also capable of taking up sucrose, but linamarin activated its uptake. The observations suggested that linamarin may regulate the sucrose transport in cassava.

Purification and characterization of a steroid-binding sialoglycoprotein from rat ventral prostate

An androgen-dependent sialoglycoprotein was purified from the secretion of rat ventral prostate by chromatofocusing and DEAE-Sepharose column chromatography. It showed a native molecular weight of 47,000 and consisted of two dissimilar subunits with molecular weights of 20,000 and 18,000. However, each subunit contained a common peptide with molecular weight of 16,000. It also contained 442 +/- 62 micrograms sialic acids per milligram protein and bound pregnenolone with a binding affinity of 1.2 microM-1. Its amino acid composition was similar to those of other known prostatic steroid-binding proteins. Hence, we propose that it is the sialylated form of rat prostatic steroid-binding protein.

A new sialoglycoprotein from rat seminal vesicle and its association with semen coagulum

By radiolabeling using NaIO4/[3H]KBH4, a new sialoglycoprotein with Mr of 19,000 was found in the secretion of rat seminal vesicle. It was shown to interact non-covalently with semen coagulum. It existed in three acidic forms with pI values of 4.1, 3.7 and 2.9 and possessed high contents of sialic acids and acidic amino acids.